Does a post-surgical hematoma in the breast affect your recommendations for partial breast RT?
Is there a risk that the bleeding could cause microscopic spread of disease outside the lumpectomy cavity (and therefore your CTV/PTV)?
2 Answers
Mednet MemberInvited Expert
Radiation Oncology · Varian Medical Systems/Allegheny health network
Answered on
More than seeding, the driving factor is the size of the hematoma. If small, it can proceed as planned with RT, but if large, sometimes it needs drainage or evacuation to help with healing. Any adjuvant RT treatment is driven by healing post-intervention for these large hematomas.
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Mednet MemberInvited Expert
Radiation Oncology · Montefiore-Einstein Medical Center
Answered on
I would give the patient some time for the hematoma to resolve, but if the patient is otherwise eligible for partial breast RT, this would not change my management. I may consider larger CTV margins in this case.
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